Coming This Week

Every week I write this post to inform readers about what’s ahead for the week. About twenty years ago — yes, that long ago — I began blogging. I had no idea what it would mean for my life, nor was I initially even aware what a blog even was. But, from those days at Blogspot to Beliefnet to Patheos back to Beliefnet then on to CT and now on to Substack, I’ve worked to give readers a taste of what’s being published. I toss in my opinions at times, too.

When it comes to reading, here’s what’s on my little shelf next to my sitting chair.

Bob Smietana’s book Reorganized Religion. I’ll talk about that book this week. He’s got a spot-on chapter about the Dones.

Amy Peeler’s book, with an amazing title, Women and the Gender of God. In her last major chapter she turns to some expositions about Mary. We’ll talk about Mary.

New this week: Greg Carey has a theologically-sensitive book about eschatology called Death, The End of History, and Beyond. A former evangelical who is a professor of New Testament, Greg’s writings have been a stimulant for me for years so I’m going to do a deep dive into his book as he ponders how to make sense of eschatological language, say something like heaven, in a world unlike the 1st Century world. I don’t want to give too much away, but the book is hermeneutically-astute, theologically chastened, and pastorally-holistic but -realistic too.

And I’ll begin the week with a reflection from the book Cody Matchett and I wrote, Revelation for the Rest of Us. What’s a witness? More than you might have thought.